Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

If you’re looking for the ultimate summer side dish, this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is about to become your new obsession. It’s essentially a mashup of two classics: the creamy, comforting vibes of a traditional macaroni salad and the bold, zesty flavors of Mexican elote. With a little bit of heat from the jalapeños and that signature salty kick from the cotija cheese, it’s a "jazzed-up" Tex-Mex twist that steals the show at every BBQ.

This cold salad recipe is a delicious fusion of street corn and pasta salad. It borrows inspiration from my Pepperoni Pasta Salad—another easy-to-make side that always disappears fast at parties. If you love a creamy noodle salad but want something with a bit more "zing," this is the one for you.

Whether you choose to use cob corn, roasted, canned, or defrosted from frozen, this easy recipe always tastes great. The simple homemade dressing coats every nook and cranny of the pasta, making it a perfect partner for grilled proteins. It's also a favorite side to serve alongside our legendary Chicken Fajita Quesadillas for a full Tex-Mex feast.

A sprinkle of salty, creamy cotija cheese on top takes this Mexican street corn pasta salad to the next level! While cotija is traditional (much like a Mexican version of feta), you can easily swap it for whatever cheese you have on hand.

🌽What is Mexican street corn?

Traditional Mexican street corn, or elote, is a beloved street food made by coating grilled or boiled corn in a creamy, tangy sauce. This mixture usually features a base of mayo and sour cream, spiked with fresh lime juice and a dusting of chili powder or tajin for a hint of heat.

This Mexican street corn pasta salad captures those iconic flavors in a scoopable, crowd-pleasing format. By using the "esquites" style (corn off the cob), we’ve created a hearty side dish that’s easy to serve and brings a fresh, modern energy to any summer gathering.

🥘Ingredients

• corkscrew pasta - rotini, cavatappi and fusilli work best
• light mayonnaise - Hellmann's or Duke's preferred; do not use Miracle Whip
• light sour cream - Daisy's or Breakstone's recommended
• taco seasoning- provides great flavor and a touch of color to the dressing
• salt & pepper
• lime - for preservative purposes and for flavoring
• corn - can be roasted, grilled, canned, or defrosted from frozen (I often use this last option for simplicity)
• red onion - finely diced
• jalapeño - seeded and finely diced; when you remove the seeds and membranes, you remove most of the heat
• crumbled cotija or feta cheese - find cotija cheese in the specialty cheese case at your local supermarket; feta (which is more easily found) makes an excellent substitute
• tajin seasoning - adding this seasoning is completely optional, it truly elevates the salad by pulling all the flavors together. A quick dusting right before serving adds a beautiful pop of color and that authentic street-food flair that makes this Mexican street corn pasta salad stand out.

See recipe card for quantities.

🔪Instructions

1. Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, seasonings and half of the lime juice.

2. Step 2: Add the corn, diced onion and jalapeño; mix well.

3. Step 3: Fold in the cooked, cooled pasta and half the cotija or feta cheese; mix.

4. Step 4: Just before serving, add remaining lime juice and mix. Then sprinkle remaining cheese and tajin seasoning (if using) on top.

Hint: Using a textured noodle like rotini or cavatappi is the secret to a great pasta salad. These "corkscrew" shapes are perfect for catching the creamy dressing and those little crumbles of cotija in every single bite!

📖Substitutions

• Peppers - Swap the jalapeño for a milder poblano or bell pepper if you want less heat. If you aren't a fan of peppers at all, finely diced celery provides a similar crunch.
• Cheese - If you can't find cotija, crumbled feta is the perfect substitute thanks to its salty, tangy profile. You could also use queso fresco or a sharp white cheddar.
• Greek Yogurt - Substitute the sour cream with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt. It provides the same signature tang and creamy texture but with an extra boost of protein and fewer calories.

📖Variations

• Add Protein - Turn this side dish into a filling main course by adding grilled chicken, shrimp, or a bag of pre-cooked carnitas.
• Smoky Heat - For a deeper flavor profile, use roasted corn (fire-roasted canned corn works great!) and swap the taco seasoning for smoked paprika or chipotle powder.
• Black Bean & Avocado - Stir in a rinsed can of black beans and top with fresh avocado chunks just before serving for extra creaminess and fiber.

🍽Equipment

• medium saucepan with lid
• colander
• cutting board and chef's knife
• citrus juicer
• medium mixing bowl
• mixing spoon
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons

🍶Storage

Store your leftovers in an airtight container and keep them refrigerated. This salad is best enjoyed within 5 days, making it a great option for meal prep or planning ahead for a party (you may need to add some additional dressing or lime juice the longer it sits).

🗨️FAQ

🥄Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

🍴Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad:

📋Recipe with step-by-step instructions

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Kitchen Ready Betty

This Mexican Street Corn pasta Salad is a vibrant fusion of creamy macaroni salad and zesty elote flavors. It features tender pasta tossed with corn, salty cotija cheese, and a tangy lime dressing for the ultimate summer side dish. This recipe easily doubles to feed a crowd.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Rest Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Salads, Salads & Sides

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6

Calories 274 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 oz. uncooked corkscrew pasta rotini or cavatappi preferred
• ⅓ cup light mayonnaise Hellmann's or Duke's
• ¼ cup light sour cream Daisy's or Breakstone's
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 large (or two medium) lime(s) juiced and divided
• 2 cups corn grilled, roasted, canned, or defrosted from frozen
• ¼ cup red onion finely diced
• ¼ cup jalapeño seeded, finely diced; optional to reserve a few slices to place on top before serving
• ½ cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese divided
• 1 teaspoon tajin seasoning (optional); for extra zing and color pop sprinkled on top before serving

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain in colander and allow to cool.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, seasonings and half of the lime juice.
• Add the corn, diced onion and jalapeño; mix well.
• Fold in the cooled, drained pasta and half of the cotija or feta cheese; mix.
• Street Corn Pasta Salad can be enjoyed right away, but tastes better when it chills in the fridge for an hour.
• Just before serving, add the remaining lime juice and mix. Then sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Optional to also sprinkle on tajin seasoning.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro or additional pepper slices if desired.
• Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Best enjoyed with 5 days.

Notes

When making pasta salads, it's helpful to cook the noodles only to al dente. Noodles are like sponges and absorb dressings as they sit, which softens them further. If you overcook the noodles from the start, they will most likely fall apart in the salad.

Finely dice the onion and jalapeño for easier eating. I like to reserve some additional jalapeño rounds to place on top to make it look pretty when I serve this salad.

We add additional lime juice before serving to give the salad a more fluid and smooth consistency (the longer the salad sits, the less creamy it gets because the noodles absorb the dressing).

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 9gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 385mgPotassium: 260mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 369IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 1mg

Keyword corn and pasta salad, corn pasta salad, corn pasta salad recipe, Mexican street corn pasta salad, mexican street corn pasta salad recipe, pasta corn salad, street corn pasta salad, street corn pasta salad recipe, summer pasta salad with corn

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_{Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.}